Phil Mickelson has been rolling back the years at LIV Virginia this week.
Mickelson is in contention to win his first ever event on LIV Golf, after rounds of 67 and 68 left him four shots adrift of LIV Virginia leader Anirban Lahiri.
And Pat Perez offered huge words of praise for his fellow Arizona State University graduate.
Mickelson admitted that he has struggled with his short-game in recent years.
That came as somewhat of a surprise, given how naturally talented he is with a wedge in his hands.
However, he has sorted out those issues now. Mickelson has offered multiple tips for amateurs concerning all areas of the short game in the past.
However, there is apparently one specific shot which the 54-year-old has mastered entirely.
Phil Mickelson the best ‘for 30 years straight’ at playing one shot
Mickelson has thrilled golf fans all over the globe throughout his entire career.
When he burst onto the scene in 1991 and won the Northern Telecom Open as an amateur, everyone knew he had something special about him.
Throughout his entire career, his short game is what has separated him from most other top players.
However, his ability to get the ball close from bunkers is completely unrivalled, according to Perez.
The LIV Golf analyst responded when asked who is the best bunker player of all time.
He said, “Phil, not even close. He’s been the best for 30 years. There are some other good ones, but there is no one better. He has done so much research on wedges, and how he grinds his own wedges, how he hits it. No one has ever hit it with more speed and trust, hitting it at the bottom and having it go straight up. He has the most knowledge and he’s been the best bunker player for 30 years straight. Tiger was phenomenal, I’m sure there were some greats back in the day, Jack had to be good, but Phil is by far the best.”
The speed with which Mickelson hits his bunker shots to tucked pins really is very impressive to watch.
And he is only capable of doing that because of his supreme confidence when playing out of the sand.
Mickelson on how making a YouTube video helped his short game
Mickelson admitted that making a short game instructional video helped him articulate better what he needed to improve on himself.
He said, “It’s really been — it’s always been the best part of my game“, Mickelson explained. “It’s always been the easiest part of my game. Last few years I’ve really struggled with it. Because I’ve never had to think about it or analyze it, I’ve been able to force myself to look at what it is I’m really I’m doing, what am I missing? I figured it out, and it feels great.
“It allows me to articulate it better, so I just shot a short game video because I feel like I can articulate it better so others can understand and relate. It saved me a few shots.
“Very first hole, I hit a poor drive. I was able to get the ball in front of the green. I’m 43 yards away, and I’m able to get it down there three, four feet away, and I make par. Last hole I hit a bad drive. I was able to get it up by the green in the rough and hit a great shot to tap in.
“Saving those shots are critical. I’ve been costing myself strokes, I’ve been losing strokes lately around the green. Now I’m gaining strokes, and it feels great.“
Mickelson has definitely got his touch back around the greens, especially out of the bunkers.
Some of the shots he hit from the sand during day two of LIV Virginia were truly sensational.
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